Storage silos for the storage of grain, feed and the like can be either of the top unloader type, or bottom unloader type. It is often preferred to utilize silos of the bottom unloader type, in that, by withdrawing silage from the bottom of the silo, the oldest silage is utilized first, as well as for many other reasons. The present invention is directed toward bottom unloaders for silos.
Bottom unloaders have also been developed in the past, but difficulties with such unloaders have very often been experienced, in that the tremendous weight of silage upon the bottom unloaders often compact silage about the unloader, acting as a brake, and jamming the operation of the unloader.
Particularly, when the unloader is of the auger type, with teeth or other suitable cutting devices for cutting silage as an auger is rotated about its axis, and for propelling, or otherwise conveying silage thus cut, to a generally central location, it is also necessary to move such an auger across the floor of a silo.
If such an auger is of a radial type, adapted for a sweeping motion about a center, for example, of a generally cylindrical silo, such may sweep across the floor of the silo, cutting a path, with silage from an upper part of the silo then falling downwardly into the zone just previously traversed by the auger.
It has been found that such augers must be constructed in such a manner as to withstand tremendous silage forces.
Also, there is present the problem of how to drive the auger in its sweeping motion. Some systems have been developed, whereby a motor or the like may be mounted at a radial outermost end of an auger for driving a member which in turn, is engageable with another member at the periphery of the silo floor, or inside the silo wall. However, if a motor or the like is adapted for movement with the auger about the silo, in its sweeping action, should the auger become jammed, it may be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible to service the motor.